Witness: Dog attacked for 'no reason'

EAST SANDWICH — Doug Mullins had planned it as a day of fun. He hadn't seen his girlfriend in a long time because of conflicting work schedules. He had the afternoon off Saturday from renovating a house at 68 Salt Marsh Road. But things went horribly wrong from there.

EAST SANDWICH — Doug Mullins had planned it as a day of fun. He hadn't seen his girlfriend in a long time because of conflicting work schedules. He had the afternoon off Saturday from renovating a house at 68 Salt Marsh Road. But things went horribly wrong from there.

Mullins and another man helping with renovations are staying at the house, and Mullins said that man brought a dog with him. It was there when Mullins arrived Friday. "It should have never been there," Mullins said of the 2-year-old pitbull boxer mix.

Mullins said the dog had tried to bite him twice, once Friday and once Saturday, before his girlfriend arrived for a visit.

Mullins' girlfriend, 43, was bitten by the dog Saturday evening and was taken to South Shore Hospital trauma center in South Weymouth by Sandwich fire officials, police said.

"It grabbed her bottom lip and ripped it off," Mullins said. He said she was in surgery for three hours early Sunday.

Sandwich police later reported that the girlfriend had asked the dog for a kiss before it attacked.

Mullins disagrees.

"It attacked for no reason at all," he said.

Mullins said he did not know his co-worker's name but did recall that the co-worker had said the dog had been returned to shelters multiple times. David DeConto, the town's assistant natural resources officer, said the dog had recently been adopted from the Animal Rescue League in Worcester.

"I wish it had bit me," Mullins said.

Massachusetts law states that if a dog bites anyone without provocation the owner will be liable for the damage.

The dog remains under quarantine at the Animal Inn in Sandwich and its fate is unclear, DeConto said. Attempts to contact Sandwich Animal Control were unsuccessful Monday.